Essere (to be) and avere (to have) appear in almost every Italian sentence — as main verbs, and later as the helpers that build past tenses. Both are irregular, so they must simply be learned by heart. Here they are in the present tense.
- essere: sono, sei, è, siamo, siete, sono
- avere: ho, hai, ha, abbiamo, avete, hanno
Sono iraniana. Ho ventisette anni.
Italian uses avere for age — you 'have' years, not 'are' them.
Expressions with avere
- avere fame — to be hungry (Ho fame!)
- avere sete — to be thirsty
- avere fretta — to be in a hurry
- avere paura — to be afraid
Notice the pattern: where English 'is' something, Italian often 'has' it. Spotting these differences early builds the instinct that separates textbook learners from real speakers.